Vending machine



April 8, 1930. G. HOPPE 1,753,417

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I, 375 7:: 3 I v kf if Q fl or e 16 7 29 Attorney Patented Apr. 8, 1930 UNITED sT'ArEs GEORGE HOPPE, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND vnnnme Macrame,

' Application filed September 20, 1928. Serial No; 307,157.

The present invention relates to improvements in vending machines for dispensing paper articles and has for its primary object to provide a machine for dispensing sanitary toilet seat covers. f 7

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a dispensing machine.

of the above mentioned character which will, when the proper coin is inserted, permit the withdrawal of a single sanitary toilet seat cover. -A further and important object is to provide a coin controlled vending machine of the above mentioned character which will at all times be efficient and reliable in its operation, means being provided for preventing the dispensing of sheets of paper from the machine unless the proper coin or coins are inserted in the machine. v Y

Still a further object is to provide a coin controlled vending machine of the above mentioned character which is neat and attractive in appearance, and which is furthermore adapted to be located in public toilets, the machine being further simple in construction, inexpensive, and strong-and durable.

Other objects and advantages of the inven tion will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with-the accompanying drawings. 1

In the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a perspective view of the vending machine embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a view looking from the rear side, the back being removed. 7

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken approximately on the line 33- of Figure 2 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4; is a similar section taken substantially upon the line H of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a detail of the means for releasing the normally locked rotatable shaft.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken approximately on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional View through the coin chute, and

Figure 81s a detail view of one of the sheets of paper vended by the present machine.

In the drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodi rnent of my invention, the numeral 1 designates a substantially rectangular shaped casingthat is open at its back side. i

A flanged cover plate 2 is provided for the open rear side of the casing, and is hingedly connected at one end to the adjacent end of the casing. Any appropriate securing means maybedriven through appropriate openings provided in the cover plate 2 to secure the same against the wall and a key controlled look (not shown) is provided for securing the casing ina closed position, access to the lock being had "throughthe'key hole 3 when the proper key isinserted.

- The bottom ofthe casing 1 is formed with a dischargechute l that'is-open at its lower end through which the sanitary toilet seat cover sheets are dispensed in'the manner to be presently described. 7

In Figure 8 there is shown in detail one of the sheets of paper that is dispensed by my machine. A stack of such sheets are suspended from a suitable pin 4 andprojects from the central upper portion'of the cover plate 2 and aspringpressed follower plate 5is suspended from'the pin for disposition behind the stack" of'sheets A for normally urging the same toward the front side of the casing. The spring means'associated with the cover-plate 2 and thefollower plate 5 is shown-at 6 with reference more particularly to Figure 4 of the drawings. p v j Upon again referring to Figure 8 it will be observed that each sheet of paper comprises a rectangular shaped blank having arcuate shaped slits .7 formed therein in a predetermined manner, the respective ends of the opposed slits being spaced'from each other so as to permit the narrower portion 8 to be readily disrupted whereupon the flap 9 may be causedto be disposed in the bowl, whilethe outer edge portionof the sheet A will cover the surfaceof the seat. Extending-longitudinally within the centralportion of the casing and ournaled through the respective endwalls thereof is the shaft 10. A partition llis arranged vertically within the casing 1 adjacent one end thereof as clearly suggested in Figure 2. Secured on the shaft 10 at spaced intervals are the rubber rollers 12 that constitute feed rollers or ejectors for frictional engagement with the forwardmost sheet of the stack of toilet seat covers suspended fromthe pin 4 in the manner as shown very clearly in Figure 4. The knurledhand wheel 13 is secured on the forward end of the shaft 10 for manually turning the same when the locking means for the shaft is released.

A coin chute 14 extends downwardly through the top of the casing 1 adjacent the forward end thereof and as is shown very clearly in Figure 7, the coin chute is of sectional construction, and the innermost section being disposed adjacent the partition 11. The upper end of the coin chute projects above the top wall of the casing in order to facilitate the proper insertion of the coin in the chute.

The lower end of the chute terminates a predetermined distance above theshaftlO and as is clearly shown in Figures 5 and 6, there is secured on the partition directly below the coin chute 14, a notched plate 15 that is disposed over the shaft 10 to provide a rest for the coin that passes downwardly by gravity through the chute 14. I

The locking means for associatlon with the shaft 10 comprises a disc 16 that is formed 7 with a hub 17 which hub is fixedly secured on the shaft 10 by the set screw 18 as suggested in Figure 6. The rear face of the d1sc 16 1s spaced from the partition 11 to accommodate the plate 15.

This disc is formed in its peripheral edge with the notch 19 and also formed in the peripheral edge of the disc at a point opposite dog 21 is normally held in engagement with the notch 19 by means of the expansible coil spring 22 and this dog is furthermore so constructed as to be disposed in the path of movement of the coin when the latter is forced rearwardly ofi of the plate 15. A spring pressed pawl 23 cooperates w1th the ratchet teeth 20 as also shown in Flgure 3. Carried by the disc 16 for rotation therewith is the laterally extending pin 24 that is located in close proximity to the notch 19 and the purpose of this pin will be presently apparent.

A spring pressed plunger 25 is arranged for reciprocatory movement through the front side of the casing, and for movement between the lower end of the coin chute 14 and the plate 15 for engagement with the coin that rests on the plate. A suitable support 26 is arranged within the front wall of the casing for the sliding plunger as shown in Figure 5. A thumb engaging head 27 is secured on the outer end of the plunger and a leaf spring 28 is provided for normally disc so that the shaft 10 cannot be rotated by turning the hand wheel 13 to eject a sheet of paper from the machine.

Upon the insertion of a proper coin in the upper end of the coin chute 14, said coin will by gravity pass downwardly through the chute and will rest upon the upper face of the plate 15 as shown in Figure 5. By pushing inwardly on the plunger 25, the inner end of the plunger will force the coin to roll along the'upper edge of the plate in a rearward direction and the coin will cooperate with the free end of the pivoted dog to act as a cam to to lift the dog upwardly out of engagement with the notch 19. In the meantime the shaft 10 may be rotated by turning the hand wheel 13 and when a quarter of a turn is made, the pin 24 will engage the coin and prevent said coin from remaining on the plate 15. By rotating the shaft a complete revolution, the rollers 12 will forcibly eject the forward most sheet of paper from the stack through the discharge chute 4 where the same may be readily withdrawn by the person inserting the coin.

, When the shaft has rotated a complete revolution, the coin initially deposited in the machine will drop into the bottom of the casing and the dog 21 will engage with the notch 19 while the pivoted pawl 23 will cooperate with the ratchet'teeth 20 to maintain the disc in its proper position for receiving the next coin.

It will thus .beseen from the foregoing description that I have provided a vending machine for use more particularly in dispensing sanitary toilet seat covers.

The simplicity of my machine enables the parts to be readily and easily accessible, and

furthermore the machine will at all times be positive and etficient in its operation, and when the parts are in their normal positions, the cover sheets cannot be ejected from the machine until the propercoin is inserted to release the locking means associated with the feed roller supporting shafts. 1

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit of the in vention and the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1

In a coin controlled locking means, a rotatable shaft, a disc secured on the shaft for rotation therewith and provided with a notch in its peripheral edge, said disc being formed with additional notches in its peripheral edge in a quadrant opposite the quadrant in which the aforementioned notch is located, a pivoted dog normally held in engagement with the first mentioned notch, a pawl normally held in engagement with one of the second mentioned notches, said elements cooperating to normally look the shaft and the disc against rotation, a coin chute, the lower end,

thereof terminating adjacent the free end of the pivoted dog, a plate supported adjacent the disc below the lower end of the chute and to one side of the pivoted dog to provide a rest for a coin deposited in the chute, the free end of the pivoted dog being disposed in the path of movement of the coin when the same rests on the plate, a pin extending laterally from the disc and located adjacent the first mentioned notch for engagement with the coin, means for moving the coin along the plate to raise the pivoted dog to an inoperative position.

In testimony whereof I aifixmy signature.

GEORGE HOPPE. 

